This is the first year in a long time that I can say there are a lot of really phenomenal movies and performances included in the nominated films for the 90th Academy Awards. For several years now I see all the nominated films so I can give my humble opinion on who should win... I'm amazed at the number of people I've talked to over the years who saw one or two of the nominated films and feel confident giving their opinion on who should win and why... If you don't see each one and rate it and the performances on their own merit you are doing yourself and whoever you are trying to convince a total disservice.
Here is a partial list of this years nominations and what I focus on when viewing the films (there are several more categories but I don't feel I have the experience and technical skills to judge them fairly)... except maybe song and score.
BEST PICTURE
"Call Me by Your Name"
"Darkest Hour"
"Dunkirk"
"Get Out"
"Lady Bird"
"Phantom Thread"
"The Post"
"The Shape of Water"
"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Sally Hawkins, "The Shape of Water"
Frances McDormand, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
Margot Robbie, "I, Tonya"
Saoirse Ronan, "Lady Bird"
Meryl Streep, "The Post"
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Timothée Chalamet, "Call Me By Your Name"
Daniel Day-Lewis, "Phantom Thread"
Daniel Kaluuya, "Get Out"
Gary Oldman, "Darkest Hour"
Denzel Washington, "Roman J. Israel, Esq."
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Mary J. Blige, "Mudbound"
Allison Janney, "I, Tonya"
Lesley Manville, "Phantom Thread"
Laurie Metcalf, "Lady Bird"
Octavia Spencer, "The Shape of Water"
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Willem Dafoe, "The Florida Project"
Woody Harrelson, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
Richard Jenkins, "The Shape of Water"
Christopher Plummer, "All the Money in the World"
Sam Rockwell, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
DIRECTOR
Christopher Nolan, "Dunkirk"
Jordan Peele, "Get Out"
Greta Gerwig, "Lady Bird"
Paul Thomas Anderson "Phantom Thread"
Guillermo del Toro, "The Shape of Water"
COSTUME DESIGN
"Beauty and the Beast"
"Darkest Hour"
"Phantom Thread"
"The Shape of Water"
"Victoria and Abdul"
PRODUCTION DESIGN
"Beauty and the Beast"
"Blade Runner 2049"
"Darkest Hour"
"Dunkirk"
"The Shape of Water"
CINEMATOGRAPHY
"Blade Runner 2049"
"Darkest Hour"
"Dunkirk"
"Mudbound"
"The Shape of Water"
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
"Call Me by Your Name"
"The Disaster Artist"
"Logan"
"Molly's Game"
"Mudbound"
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
"The Big Sick"
"Get Out"
"Lady Bird"
"The Shape of Water"
"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
I have to tell you something I've only seen a little over half of the movies and so far each film and performance is Oscar worthy... and that's not something that happens every year so it will be interesting to see how the votes go and who goes home with the award.
Like everyone else I have my favorites ear marked... I still have about four or so more films to study so I'll be taking some time off until after the award ceremony on 4, March.
In addition to all of this a friend of mine died recently and as time marches on and friends become fewer this one is particularly difficult for me not because it was not expected... but because he died alone in his apartment in the dark in the middle of the night... and as difficult and painful as death is I think everyone should have someone to hold their hand and comfort them... and it breaks my heart into pieces when I learn that someone did not have that final consolation in life....
So I'll be looking back on Hollywood... and life and death and love and friendship. See you in March.
